The Darkest Days Hurt The Most
by AkamaiHigaku
Summary: This is THE darkest story I have ever written. You all seemed to misunderstand me. I mean anything I write to be understood as an attempt at humor. This is about Talon!Dick and the ages are reversed. Ages: Damian- 17, Tim- 16, Jason- 14 and Dick- 10. In this, Damian is BatWing, Jason is Red Hood, Tim is Red Robin and Dick is Robin then Nightwing. I hope you enjoy...
1. Act I

Hot blood streamed from the open wound in Jason's side. It mingled with the cobbles of the dark, wet, and unforgiving alleyway where he stood, breathing heavily. He growled at the shadows, watching as a young boy of no older than 10 ran out, swinging his swords down. Jason caught the blades and head-butted the boy, breaking his boy stood, stunned, so Jason took the opportunity to shoot the boy between the eyes, effectively killing him. He watched the boy drop to the ground, motionless. He flinched as his eldest brother, Damian, leaped from his perch and screeched, "Hood! That is a child! I know he blooming well stabbed you so don't try to say this was self-defense! He doesn't look a day over 10!" Jason was looking ashamed of himself.

Damian knelt down and bundled the boy up, tieing him up, and begun the journey back to the Batcave. Jason called back Red Robin, their brother, Tim. The trio then met on top of Gotham PD. Red Robin activated the Batsignal and placed a large red circle of translucent plastic over it. This signal meant that the enemy they were facing had died during the fight, whether by them, well Jason, or through another means. Moments after the signal had been activated Batman slunk out the shadows, meaning Tim turned the signal back off and turned to glare through the domino style mask he wore at Jason, who had the decency to look abashed. Batwing, Damian, lay the boy's still body at Batman's feet. The older man's expression didn't change as he leaned down, removing the boy's mask.

The boys gasped, they all knew the boy on the ground in front of them! It was Richard John Grayson, son of the famous trapeze artists Mary and John Grayson and one of the members of the Flying Graysons, who had met their deaths, all but the son, in a brutal murder, the wires had acid poured on them which was traced to one Tony Zucco who had died via Talon less than a month ago in jail. The boy then was 6, he had been taken by his great-grandfather back to their native country, having then been pronounced missing for 4 years. Now he was lying in front of them dead. They all turned to Red Hood, Jason, and gave him a withering mix of the BatGlare, DamianGlare, and TimGlare. Jason shrunk back and whined, "I'm sorry! He was gonna kill me! He said something about the Court of Owls! They want me deader than a dodo!"

This surprised the others as they looked at the small child. Batman knelt down and shook the boy's shoulder "You can stop the charade now Richard" the others looked skeptical until they saw the small boy open his gorgeous sapphire blue eyes and blink at the group in front of him. Jason shrieked and stared at the former point of entry, which by this time had closed up. They all watched in awe as the boy's eyes flashed gold before he spat the bullet straight by Jason's feet. Jason leaped back and shook, hiding behind Batman. Dick then let out a low whimper and began to quiver. Damian knelt down and brought the little boy closer to him, rubbing his back and whispering things that their ears couldn't pick up. Whatever he said though soon calmed the boy down.

Batman knelt down and picked the boy up out of Damian's arms, holding him on his hip, the boy's head on his shoulder, The young boy nuzzled close which made their hearts melt. Batman then asked in a soft and curious voice, "Why didn't you kill Red Hood?" They all had to strain to hear the boys voice, it obviously hadn't been used much, as he spoke, "Because even though they taught us to kill, I have a scrap of humanity for the vigilantes of Gotham. I merely injured him to make it seem he was dead, it fools the Court for a while you see." They had to agree that the boy was a genius and obviously could adapt to any situation at any point. Batman made a small noise of recognition as he wrapped the boy in his cape, cradling him close to his body.

"I wanna go home. I wanna sleep. I wanna see my mommy and daddy again." Richard whispered, heartbrokenly. They watched him fall asleep as they wondered how a little boy like him could have survived in the harsh conditions that the Talons did. They all separated and head to their respective vehicles and drove home. As they arrived Alfred checked over the smallest being and patched up Jason's side. There was a lot they wanted to ask Dick but it would have to wait. Richard was a threat even if he was semi-sane.


	2. Act II

It had been a week since the Talon had legally joined the family. Dick wasn't ready to leave the house for school yet so Alfred was homeschooling him. That was until Bruce had decided he needed to mingle so stated he would be attending Gotham Academy with Jason and Tim on Monday. Hence why now him and his whole family were in a blooming uniform shop with him being measured for a custom fit uniform.

Bruce, Alfred, Damian, Jason, and Tim, who had a camera, were standing or sitting to the side giggling over the way Dick looked. Dick was wearing sunglasses, to help protect his eyes, and heavy foundation to cover his pale skin and the dark veins running from the corner of his eyes down to his neck. The woman taking his measurements frowned, turning to Bruce and blushing a light shade of pink "Mr. Wayne..." she began "he is far too small for this uniform, do you not understand he needs to be in a school more age appropriate?" Bruce bristled at the insult, as did Dick. He growled, "I am not small or young!" at the same time as Bruce shouting "I am very capable of telling where my children need to be on the academic ladder, Fiona! He is far smarter than you for sure..." Jason was impressed Bruce had finally busted a gasket with this incompetent idiotic shopkeeper.

She growled at Dick and hissed "You are a f**king circus freak!" she stormed out to get the outfit made, however, angering Mr. Wayne was not a good idea. Dick began to whimper, Damian kneeling down to bundle the small boy into his arms and hold him close. His eyes widen at the sight of Dick's tears which were making lines in the foundation and revealing the veins, he turned to his father and shouted, "Code Blue Father!" before trying to calm the hysterical boy down. Bruce ran over and gestured the others to do the same, it was times like this that the ex-Talon was vulnerable and needed cuddles. Bruce picked the trembling boy up and covered his face with his hood, cradling his baby to his chest with no problems.

"Dada" he heard Dick whimper before the woman returned, eyes widening at the sight of the young boy crying. Out of nowhere a thief, obviously, an amateur, burst through the door and grabbed Jason, holding a gun to his temple a blade at his throat. "P-put the kid down Wayne and hand over all your cash or your son gets it" Bruce complied instantly, missing the aggressive gold sparking across his youngest's eyes before the boy snuck away.

The lights suddenly went out and a small figure leaped down behind the thief, landing silently. They heard the sound of a blade being drawn and the unmistakeable glint of Dick's sword in the bright sunlight. Then all hell broke loose.

They all heard a sickening squelch as the blade of said sword was roughly thrust through the criminals back. The blade easily cut through skin, muscle, sinew, veins, organs, nerves, and finally poking out the front of the man's chest. The man's grip on his weapons became lax, dropping them to the ground where they clattered in the soundless room. The tip of the blade was dripping, slowly, with the hot, thick, red blood of the man before it was yanked out, spraying blood everywhere. The man's carcass fell to the ground with an enormous thud.

Everyone's eyes turned to the trembling 10-year-old in front of them. He was staring at the corpse and spat,

 _"Beware the Family of Bats, that watches all the time,_

 _Ruling Gotham from a shadowed perch, behind granite and lime._

 _They watch over you from above the hearth, they watch over you as you lay in your bed._

 _Speak not a whispered word about them, or they'll send the Batman for your head."_

He then shut his eyes as the cops drove up, he removed the makeup and the glasses, dropping the glasses and makeup soaked towelette on the ground, the fabric soaking the blood up. He turned around and waited, smiling sadly at his siblings and father. They hadn't said anything.

They watched him worry about them. They watched his barriers fall. They watched as he screamed at them to understand he hadn't meant to. They watched the Police arrive. They let the police take Richard away. They pinned the blame on him and turned him away. They stood by and let him lose another family.

 _ **They watched as their happiness was taken away...**_


	3. Act III

It was meant to be a simple solution to getting rid of their little brother. Everyone found him very clingy and often at time quite creepy. He didn't know this was affecting them and got incredibly confused when Damian shouted at him to 'stop doing that'. The little boy was nothing but a problem and a mistake, well in Jason's eyes, because he always wanted to be the youngest member of the Wayne family. Bruce was genuinely distraught over the mistake. They had let Dick be taken away, even though Bruce knew he would come back. Fatherly instinct made him instantly wary as he glanced around, frowning. He took adoption papers out from his desk and filled them in. Not paying attention as Tim walked in and peered over his shoulder, making a soft noise in approval. Jason wandered in to see where his big brother Tim had gotten to and saw the adoption papers once said brother had lifted him up. He began to scream and cry, growling and snarling at Bruce to stop because he was jealous of the small boy getting more attention than him.

Bruce sighed and looked at Jason, reaching up to take his son and set him in his lap. He cuddled his baby boy close and whispered "Jason, I have a really important job for you. Can you help your dad out?" Jason quickly nodded, wondering if he was to rip up the adoption papers. "I need you to help your little brother adjust to his surroundings," Bruce continued, fretting as Jason's face fell, "I will give you cookies if you are able to do this task for me." Bribery was the lowest form of pleading Bruce had sunk to before, bribing his currently youngest son went against his morals. Jason fell for it and accepted the deal, unaware he had agreed to not swear in front of, fire his guns at, or seriously injure his baby-brother-to-be.

They went to collect Dick the next day, the small boy launching himself at Bruce, and wrapping his thin, small arms around Bruce's bicep and not letting go. The boy was trembling and shaking, like he was scared to get down. Suddenly there was a loud crash and a string of curses as two guards came barrelling into Bruce, knocking him flat on his back and sending Dick flying into the wall, his healing instantly kicking in. The guards didn't apologise straight away as they got up and ran at Dick, grabbing him roughly. Then Damian, Tim, Jason, and Bruce watched in horror as the burliest guard full force punched the small boy around the face. "Oh my GOD!" Jason shouted, finally drawing attention to the boys and their father.

One of the guards recovered quickly and smiled warmly, his personalilty doing a complete 180 to his violent one before. "Hello there Mister Wayne, come to collect someone?" he asked with mock sweetness. "Yes," Bruce grinned evilly at this "That little boy you just walloped across the face." The guard paled, Bruce just continued "And seeing as you just hurt my son, I'm afraid that I will be reporting you to the City Police Department and filing for your removal at once." The guard gaped as the others handed the sweet baby boy over to Bruce, who cradled him close and rubbed his back. Jason had a look of death on his face, Tim was glaring a bit like the dreaded Batman, the wort by far were Damian and Bruce who almost made the poor guard piss himself there and then.

Dick clung to Bruce's suit sniffling cutely and burying his face in Bruce's shirt. He whispered a quiet and almost unnoticed sentence, "Thank you daddy, Dami, Jaybird, and Timmy, I love you." He then drifted off to sleep knowing he was once again safe. The family softened and whispered as one, "We love you too Dickie-bird."


End file.
